Rack 'em

Shooters cue up for their bragging rights

Shooters cue up for their bragging rights

May 21, 2006|KAREN RIVERS Tribune Staff Writer

On the third floor of Madison Oyster Bar, the pool tables sit slightly apart from the blaring jukebox and crowded shuffle of drinkers, occupying their own separate territory. Here, the evening is all about angles, aim and healthy competition. Although often home to novices and casual shooters, the tables are anchored by a group of dedicated players. Eric Babendrager, one of the seven or eight players who regularly meet there, calls them the "weekend warriors." Babendrager, 25, is hanging by the tables on a recent Saturday with the rest of the once- or twice-a-week crew. Some have known one another for years, but newcomers shouldn't be afraid to wander over, grab a stick and try a game of eight ball. The best way to learn, the regulars say, is to play against someone good. An experienced player can help a novice see his or her mistakes. He or she can teach stance, how to hold the stick and how to line up a shot. "We definitely like newcomers," Babendrager says. "You might find a hidden talent. Some people don't even know that they're good at pool." And no, that's not a ploy to swindle you. None of these guys plays for money. "The common misconception is that everyone is a hustler or a shark," Babendrager says. At Oyster Bar, the battle is solely for bragging rights. "David over here is the man to beat," Jim Rizek, 44, says. "I've beat him three times." That's three out of "countless" games, he says, adding that people come in bragging that they beat David just once. Sometimes, it was 15 years ago. Apparently, beating David is not the kind of thing one forgets. The famous David is David Burns, 59. He's lived in South Bend for years but grew up in Tennessee. "I started (playing pool) when I was 12. Shootin' in bars," he says. The smile and eye twinkle are up for interpretation. Burns says that if people really want to learn about pool, they should watch tournament play. Those guys are the real deal. He says the Oyster Bar crowd, including himself, rank about a "high C." Not exactly stellar marks, but Burns puts this in perspective. "When you're shooting with guys of this caliber, if you make two mistakes, you've lost the game," he says of the other Oyster Bar regulars. The C-plus, in other words, is relative. Burns' friend Laszlo Kovacs breaks down the difference between a casual and a serious player by one key skill: cue ball control. "A beginner just hits the ball and then looks for their next shot," Kovacs says. "A good player gives themselves something to go on." This kind of thinking ahead is definitely part of the Burns strategy. "Everybody has a different style, but when you're playing somebody, you learn their style and play it defensively," he says. "It's kind of like chess." Also, you need a good stick, one that's straight -- bar sticks usually aren't -- and whose weight feels comfortable. Burns says he owns a couple of dozen. Tonight, he brought along three. Many of the regulars agree that the Oyster Bar is one of their favorite places to play. Good company is part of it. Playing respectfully is another -- no trash talk, but advice and good-natured ribbing are common. Here, everyone puts up quarters to fund the night. Players faithfully call shots. The defeated patiently await their next turn. They play eight ball almost exclusively. By agreement, Burns says, they allow the person who breaks to choose stripes or solids, no matter what drops on the break. "That's what makes it a good game. We state the rules; we get them established," Burns says. "I have to shoot with these guys." Although Burns may be the unofficial Oyster Bar champ, Rizek is ruling the table on this night. In an impressive showing, he beats Burns twice, raising his official tally of "Burns wins" to five. Maybe talking about those three wins got him all fired up. Maybe it's just his night. Or maybe Rizek is getting better. As the warriors will tell you, there is always room for improvement. "It's easy to get the basics down," Babendrager says, "but it's a lifelong game to master." Staff Writer Karen Rivers: (574)235-6442 krivers@sbtinfo.com